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Goal 2014: Building the Perfect Butt

I will not sugarcoat it, I am ass obsessed lately. I want my backside to look great and it actually does. In JEANS! The miracle of these things are that they are a stiff construction that , in the right cut, reduces all the effects of gravity and hold the rear end in a tight little configuration that makes all reality cease. I would like that to be my in underwear reality as well. I want what we have started calling a beach or bikini body (who started that BTW?) that looks great naked. So I am breaking this down a little bit to the nitty and the gritty of the rear end exercises, compiling the best of the best and trying them out. I figure I will either have a great ass by the end of land myself in traction. Either way, there will be a suspension of gravity.

Your glutes are made up of three main muscles: the maximus, the biggest portion of your behind; the pork chop-shaped medius near the top of your hips; and the minimus, which is tucked beneath the two aforementioned muscles.

The gluteus maximus gets all the attention, but the medius does just as important a job. Along with the minimus, “it’s responsible for stabilizing your pelvis when you walk or anytime you’re off balance,” Dr. Herrera says. Without it you would lurch from side to side like a drunken sailor as you lifted your feet. How your body is made has a lot to do with how your rear, well, sits. So just how much of our butt shape is predetermined by genetic roulette? Up to 70 percent of the body’s overall shape, and therefore your rear’s, is genetic, the rest is going to be influenced by nutrition, exercise, sleep, posture — anything outside your genetic code. But no matter what shape butt you start out with, it will morph later in life. The good news? Even with a little less padding, you can give gravity a good run for its money by getting your butt muscles firm and keeping them that way.

Step 1: Lie down on your left side with your feet stacked together on the ground and your left hand behind your head so that you upper arm lays flat on the ground. Rest head on your left arm. Step 2: Place your right hand flat on the floor in front of your abs so that your fingers are pointing away from your feet. This is the starting position. Step 3: Begin exercise by raising your right leg up without bending leg at all, only a slight bend in the knee is acceptable. Raise as high as possible, pause, then lower back down. Repeat movement as necessary.

Hip Abduction

The most effective exercise to target the gluteus medius muscles is the hip abduction. You can perform this exercise with multiple variations and pieces of equipment. Perhaps the simplest piece of equipment to use is a cable pulley machine. Set up this exercise by attaching an ankle support to the base of a cable pulley machine. Stand sideways to the machine, and connect the ankle support to your outer leg. Begin by moving your outer leg laterally and outwards until it is close to parallel to the ground, while supporting yourself against the machine with your inside hand. Allow the momentum of the weight to pull your outer leg back in until it crosses your inner leg.
Start with a light to moderate weight, or one that you can lift fairly easily for 10 repetitions. Perform three sets of ten repetitions with each leg. You can also perform this exercise from a lying position with an ankle weight or on a seated lever machine.

Seated Hip Internal Rotation

The seated hip internal rotation also requires a cable pulley machine. Set up this exercise by placing a weight bench about two feet in front of the machine. Attach an ankle support to the lower end of the cable pulley machine. Sit on the bench, sideways to the machine, and attach the ankle support to your outer ankle. With your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, begin to rotate your hip ankle outward, away from the machine. Keep your knee in a bent position and rotate your ankle about 6 to 12 inches from the starting position. As the momentum of the weight pulls your ankle back, allow it to cross under your inside leg slightly and repeat. Select a light to moderate weight or one that you can perform at least 10 times with relative ease. Perform three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions with each leg.

Side Bridge Hip Abduction

The side bridge hip abduction requires just your body weight, allowing you to perform this exercise from your home or office. Although this exercise involves less equipment, this maneuver is somewhat difficult and requires substantial upper body strength as well. Begin this exercise by forming a side bridge in which you lie on your side with your legs straight and one on top of the other. Lift your hip and buttocks off the ground while supporting your body weight on your elbow. From this position, lift your upper leg as high as you can and then allow it to return to the starting position. As it reaches the starting point, allow your hips to sink back down to the floor and then return to the starting position. Body weight exercises are designed to build muscular endurance. Perform as many repetitions of this exercise as you can on each side.

Hold dumbbell in each hand. Position dumbbells down in front of upper thighs with arms straight. Stand with feet together. Lift leg slightly so foot is just off floor. Lower dumbbells to floor while raising lifted leg back behind. Keep back straight and knee of supporting leg slightly bend. Keep hip and knee of lifted leg extended throughout movement. Once stretch is felt or dumbbells contacts floor, return to original position by raising torso while lowering lifted leg. Straighten knee of supporting leg as torso becomes upright. Repeat.

The hip hitch isolates the gluteus minimus muscle to strengthen it and increase hip flexibility. Stand on your right leg and slightly bend your left knee so that your left leg is off the floor about 1 inch. Keep your back straight and hold onto the back of a chair or the wall for balance, if necessary. Squeeze your abdominal muscles to stabilize your spine. Allow your left hip to drop slightly, but avoid rotating your pelvis. Pull your left hip back up to the start position using your hip muscles. Do 10 repetitions on each side.

The clam exercise isolates the gluteus medius and the gluteus minimus to strengthen both hip abductors. Lie on the floor on your right side. Bend your right elbow and place your forearm under your head for support. Place your right hand on your left hip. Bend your knees at a 90-degree angle and keep your ankles together. Squeeze your buttocks and heels together and lift your left knee. You should not be able to lift your knee very high. Hold this position for five seconds and then relax. Do five repetitions and then switch sides.

Side Plank

Strengthen the gluteus minimus muscles by doing side planks. Lie on your left side with your legs stretched out. Stack your legs so that your right leg is on top of your left leg with your knees and ankles touching. Support your upper body with your left forearm. Place your left elbow directly beneath your shoulder. Your left hip and left leg should be in contact with the floor. Squeeze your abdominal muscles tightly and breathe out as you lift your hips and knees straight up off the floor. Keep your body rigid and straight. Breathe in and slowly lower your body back to the floor. Do five repetitions and then repeat on the other side.

Hip Abduction

Use a resistance band with an ankle loop attachment to perform resistance exercises to strengthen the gluteus minimus. Attach a resistance band to a door or wall mount and loop the band around your right ankle. Stand perpendicular to the door or wall with your left shoulder pointed toward the wall or door so that the resistance band crosses in front of your left shin. Stand up straight with your right foot slightly forward of your left foot. Squeeze your abdominal muscles and stand up straight. Slowly lift your right foot off the floor and move your right leg out to the side away from your body as far as you can, up to about a 45-degree angle. Hold onto a chair for balance if necessary. Slowly return your right leg to the start position. Do five repetitions on each side.

Gluteal Stretch

The gluteal stretch will help to increase the flexibility of the gluteus minimus. Lie on your stomach and support your upper body with your hands. Place your hands flat on the floor directly under your shoulders. Stretch your legs straight out behind your body. Bend your left knee and rotate your hip so that your leg is underneath your torso and your bent knee under your left armpit. Lean forward slightly to deepen the stretch. Hold for up to 30 seconds and then return to the start position. Repeat with the other leg.

Gluteus Maximus

Front Lunge

Sideways lunge

Transverse lunge

One legged deadlift

One legged Squat

Front lunge

These lunges can be made more challenging by adding weights in each hand and eventually using heavier weights while at the same time increasing the hold time of each lunge. Do several repetitions and at least three to four sets of these repetitions. Also, do these sets of repetitions several times per week.

Sideways lunge

Weights can be added in each hand to increase the intensity of this exercise. However, the weights should be kept close to your body. Also, a bar can be used across the shoulders as well.

Transverse lunge:

These lunges might require a bit of practice to master but will be well worth it. Once a comfort level has been established, add weights in each hand.

One legged dead lift:

It is important to note that hand weights can be used instead of a dead lift if you feel more comfortable using them. Also, this exercise can be done without the use of weights but using weights really intensifies the workout.One legged squat:

This exercise is also called single-leg squat. Again, add weights to each hand to really challenge the muscles and enlarge the gluteus maximus in a shorter time.

This is an Extra workout that is short and sweet , if the rest of the exercises become undaunting .